Pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus.



No. 869,338. PATENTED OCT. 29. 1907. 0. F. STODDARD.

PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET- 1.

g WW

7H5 umzms wzrsns ca, WASHNGTON. n. c.

No. 869,338. Y PATENTED OCT. 29. 1907.

G.F.STODDARD. V PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION IILED JULY 28, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnwoe c. TM: mamas PETERS co), wlsmncgom o UNirian srit rns PATENT oririon.

CHARLES F. STODDA ltl), Ol BOSTON, MASSAtllillSlSWlS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN IN EUMATIC S if. ltVlOlC COMIAN Y, Ol DOVER, l) Elli-YA lt l), A ()0 it POTATION O l" .l).l llh\\\'r\ltl PNEUI-(ZATIC-DESPAT -".ilI-CLW'J'BE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

Application filed July 28 1906- Serial No. 328.196.

To all whom it may concern:

to it known that l, tuiintus l. Sroooxun oi lios- 1 construction embodying my invention, .ligure 'l is a longitudinal section ot the sending terminal showing 1 the different: members in their normal positions. .I ig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the transmitter or seudi ng terminal showing the dill'erent members in their rela tive positions when a carrier is being despatehed. l ig. 3 an enlarged longitudinal section oi the locking device.

Like letters oi' reierence reier to like parts throughout the several views:

A is a scoop located above the gate ll ttpou which the carriers are placed when they are dcspalched. The gate .13 is counterbalanced by the counterweight t which holds it normally in the position shown in Fig. ,l. Some distance below the gate ii is a similar gate B counterbalaneed by the weight. W A short distance below the gate ll is a grated tee .1) through which the compressed air l'roni the supply pipe ll tlows into the transmission tube l. .l ust below the scoop A is a valve G operated by a finger (V which extends up into the scoop A. his valve ti controls the tlow of air through the pipe G which is connected with the chamber 1) between the gate B and the gate l3. A pipe ll connects the chamber between the gate l3 and the gate ll with the space at the back ot' the gate .IV. This pipe it is enough smaller than the pipe G to make it impossible for the pipe H to supply air to the chamber 1) as last as the pipe (i can spill this pressure to the atmosphere through the Valve G. short distance above the gate 13 is placed a locking device which consists of a cylinder .l (securely fastened to the chamber easin it) and piston .l to which is secured the plunger J Through the plunger J is a duct .l" which keeps the pressure in the closed side oi the cylinder .1 the same as in the chamber ll. liaek ot the piston .l is a spring .l' which tends to throw the piston ll into the position shown in Fig. 2. The side ot the cylinder .l on which the spring .l is placed is open to the atmosphere by the ports .l" so that the pressure on this side is always atmospheric.

The operation is as l'ollows: The carrier is placed on the scoop A above the ting 'il; in sliding down against the gate B, the linger (l is thrown into the position drawings which illustrate a necting the chamber ll" with the atmosphere through the pipe (l As beiore explained the pipe ll is of so small an opening that it cannot supply air under pressure to the chamber l as last as the pipe 0* (an spill it into the atmosphere, therei'ore, the pressure behind the gate 1 is reduced to practically atmospheric and the carrier upon striking the gate ,l-l swings it up out of the way and drops into the chamber 13. \\'hen the pressure in the chamber B is reduced to practically atmospheric, the spring J" l'orces the plunger .l into the position shown in Fig. 2 and the carrier drops down against this plunger clear oi the gate .1; al'ter which the gate 13 returns to its normal position as shown in Fig. l and the linger ti by means of the eounter\\'eight ti is returned to its normal position as shown in l ig. .1, thereby closing the valve ti. Now that the gate 1E and the valve (l are closed, the air under pressure at the back of the gate 13 [lows through the pipe ll raising the pressure in the chamber if to that back ol' the gatel). As the pressure in the chamber l3 rises, it tlows through the duct J into the cylinder .l and i'orces the piston .l into the position shown in Fig. l, thereby drawing the plunger J away from the trout ot' the carrier thus allowing the carrier to drop down against the gate l which, on account, of the pressure now being the same both in front and behind, is opened by the carrier in the same way that the gate .1 was, and the carrier by means of gravity passes under the gate ll through the grated tee l) and into the transmission tube l".

Alter the carrier has pussed trom under the gate B the counterweight (1 swings the gate it back into it's normal position, as shown in Fig. .l, and the sending terminal is ready to discharge another carrier.

llaring thus described the nature of my invention and set forth a construction embodying the same, what i claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent oi the United States is:

t. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transmission tithe. a sender connected to said transmission tube, inner and outer gates normally closing said sender, means for Iltll'lllkill) producing equalization of pressure in the transmission tube and the sender, an exhaust port from said sender to the atmosphere normally closed, an exhaust valve controlling said port and operated by the carrier to allow the pressure to exhaust from the sender for releasing the trausmis on llllll pressure on the outer gate to permit: the entrance ot a carrier into the sender, means tor closing said exhaust valve al'ter the entrance of a carrier to permit the pressure in the sender and the transmission tube to substantially equalize on the timer gate whereby the weight o1- the carrier will open said inner gate and enter the transmission tithe, aml a pneumalieally'operated device for holding the carrier out. of contact with the inner gate until the pressure on both sides of said gate is substantially equalized.

2, in a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transmission tube, a sender connected to said transmission tube, inner and outer gates normally closing said sender, means shown in Fig. 2 thereby opening the valve ti and e'on l for normally producing equalization Pressure in the transmission tube and the sender, an exhaust port from said sender to the atmosphere normally closed. an exhai valve controlling said port and operated by the carrier to allow the pressure to exhaust from the sender for releasin'" the transmission tube pressure on the outer gate to permit the entrance of a carrier into the sender, means for closing; said exhaust valve after the entrance of the carrier to permit the pre sure in the sender and the transmission tube to substantially equalize on the inner gate whereby the weight of the carrier will Open said inner gate and enter the transm ion tube and to hold said outer gate closed so that the pressure in the transmission tube will not cape into the atmosphere while the inner gate is open. and a pneumatically operated device for holding the carrier out of contact with the inner gate until the pressure on both sides of the inner ate is substantially cquali -valve controlling said port and operated by the carrier to allow the pressure to exhaust from the sender for releasing the transmission-tube pressure on the outer e to permit the entrance of a carrier intothe sender, a cmnterweight on said exhaust valve for closing the same after the en trance of the carrier to permit the pressure in the sender and the transmission tube to substantially equalize on the inner gate whereby the weight of the carrier will open said inner gate and enter the transmi on tube and to hold the said outer gate closed so that the pressure in the transmi'sion tube will not escape into the atmosphere while the inner gate is open, and a 'pneumaticallyoperated device for holding the carrier out of conlact with the inner gate until the pressure on both sides of the inner gate is substantially equalized.

4. In a pneumatic despa'lch tube apparatus, a tl;tllSl1llH- sion tube. a sender connected to said transmission tube, inner and outer gates normally closing said sender. a bypass for normally producing equalization of pressure in oithe ear 5. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transmisthe transmission tube and the sender. an e haust port from id sender to the atmosphere norally closed. an exhaust \alve controlling id port operated by the carrier to allow the pr re to exhaust from the sender for releasing the tl'zlishli, :ion tube prssure on the outer gate to permit the entrance of a carrier into the sender. a counterw l exhau valve for closing the c r to permit the p ure in the sender and the trausiu ion tube to substantial equalize on ihe inner gate whereby the weight of the rier will open said in her mate and enter the trausm on tube and to hold the said outer gate closed so that the pre are in the transmis ion tube-will not escape while the inner "ate is openv and a pneumatically operated device for holding the car rier out of contact with the inner gate until the pressure on both sides of the inner gate i subs antially equalized.

In a pneumatic despatch tu appa atus a transinis' sun tube. a sender connected to said transmission tube. inner and outer gates normally closing said sender, means for normally producing equalization of pressure in the transnn- ."ion tube and the sender. an exhaust port from said sender to the atmosphere normally closed, an exhaust valve controlling said port and operated by the carrier to allow the pressure to exhaust from the sender tor releasing the transmission tube pr 'ure in the outer gate to permit the entrance of a carrier into the sender. means for closing said exhaust alve after the entrance of the carrier to permit the pressure in the sender and the rransmis'ion tube to substanlialtv equalize on the inner gate whereby the weight of the carrier will open said inner gate and enter the transmission tube, and a device for holding the carrier out of ntact with the inner gate until the pr lroth sld ol' the inner gate is substantially equalized.

in testimony whereof. I have s' ied my name to this specification in the presence of two sul ribing witnesses. this tn'eutvlirsi day o1" iluly. A. D. 1906.

CHAR ills I S'lODDAltl).

Witnesses:

W. E. BAllNAIlD.

A. S. '1. .nri'. 

